Device for applying fastening means



A. V. CULLEN DEVICE FOR APPLYING FASTENING MEANS Aug. 20, 1940.

Filed 001:. 27, 1956 illlllllllll Patented Aug. 20, 1940 UNITED STATESDEVICE FOR APPLYING FASTENING M ANS Arthur V. Cullen, Jamaica Plain,Mass. 1 Application October 27, 1936, Serial No. 107,763

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an improveddevice for driving tacks or thelike, and particularly to a device of the type disclosed in my copendingapplicationserial No. 738,421, filed August 4, 1934 which issued asUnited States Patent No. 2,065,659 on December 29, 1936. As, disclosedin that application, devices of this character may be advantageouslyemployed with fastening means in the form of tacks with attached Wireswhich are employed to secure the jaws of a corpse in closed position.

The present invention provides an automatic tack driving device which isshaped so that its end may conveniently be inserted into the mouth ofthe corpse and positioned to drive a tack or fastening element into thebone cf the jaw. The tack driving tool comprises a spring and acooperating plunger having a heavy hammer portion, associated with meansto compress the spring so that the latter. may be released to impel theplunger against the tack and thus drive it with considerable force intoan object, such as the jaw bone of a corpse or the like.

The tool may be provided with a slidable assembly which may beconveniently actuated by the fingers of the user and which includesspring elements engageable with the hammer portion of the plunger tomove the latter to its retracted position and compress the main spring.The spring elements normally extend through slots in the casing of thedevice, the ends of these slots acting as cam means to disengage theelements from the plunger to release the latter and the main spring. I

The plunger also includes a small-diametered extension which projectsinto a bore in an auxiliary housing which preferably has a portionmovable relative to the casing, normally being held in a projectedposition by a light coil spring. This arrangement permits a tack to bedisposed in the end of the bore of the auxiliary housing,

which cooperates with the plunger in affording a socket when the plungeris in its projected position- Thus there is little possibility of injuryto the hand of the user of the device if the tack is positionedwhen theplunger is in its projected position. When the plunger is to bereleased, the end of the device may be pressed against the object inwhich the tack is being drivenso that the light spring associated withthe auxiliary housing is slightly compressed, permitting the end of theplunger at the end of the driving stroke to be juxtaposed to the end ofthe retracted auxiliary housing portion so that the tack is firmlydriven into the bone of the jaw. Thecasing of the device preferably isprovided witha screwthreaded cap which may be adjusted to vary thecompression of the main spring and thus to vary the force of the blowimparted by the plunger to the tack.

Preferably the auxiliary housing is detachably connected to the maincasing by a bayonet slot and stud connection, the'stud being arranged sothat it may provide a convenient point of a temporary attachment for thewire which is associated withthe tack. The tip-of the auxiliary housingwhich receives the tack is provided with aslotted side portion throughwhich the'wire may project.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the tack driving device, with partsbroken'away and shown in elevation;

Fig. 2: is a similar view but showing the plunger in its retractedposition and at the instant it is being released to perform the drivingstroke; A

Fig. 3 is a section indicated by line 33 of Fig. 1; 1

Fig. 4 is an elevational detail of the fastening device which may beapplied by a tool constructed in accordance with the present invention;and

Fig. 5 is a central. section of the portion of the jaw structure of ahuman corpse showing my improved fastening means applied thereto, aportion of the face and mouth'being diagrammatically outlined in dot anddash lines. 30

In the accompanying drawing, the numeral I designates a generallytubular or cylindrical casing of the tack driving device, which isprovided with a screw-threaded end portion receiving the internallythreaded cap 3, the latter being provided with a corrugated head 5 tofacilitate its manual rotation. When desired, the cap may be unscrewedfrom the casing I to afford access to the interior thereof. The lowerend of the casing is provided with an annular plug or wall 8.

A heavy main spring II is disposed within the upper part of casing I,and its upperend engages the inner face of cap 3,while its lower endengages the plunger I2, that includes the relatively heavy cylindricalhammer portionIS which slides 45 in casing I. The'lower part of theplungeris shaped to afford an annular shoulder I8 engageable with thelower portion 8 of thecasing I, while a small diametered rod portion I6of'the plunger projects through a bore in this portion of 60 the casing.

An auxiliary housing 20 issecured to the lower part of the casing I,andthe rod portion I6 of the plunger extends into the end of thisauxiliary casing. The auxiliary casing preferably may be 55 formed intwo parts, including a larger portion 20a, which has a bayonet slot I9engaging a stud 2| projecting from the lower part of easing I. The lowerpart of the casing section 200. receives the flared end of a tip portion20b which is held in the normal position illustrated in Fig. 1 by alight auxiliary spring 24 disposed about the plunger. Thus the section2011 may slide inwardly relative to the section 20a. The end of the tipsection 2% of the auxiliary housing fits closely about the end of theprojected plunger rod l6. Thus when the plunger is in its normalposition and the tip portion 20b of the auxiliary housing is in theposition shown in Fig. 1, these parts cooperate in providing a smallcylindrical recess or socket in which a tack may be received. Ifdesired, these parts may be magnetized to aid this effect. The wall ofthe end portion of member 20b is cut away to provide a slot 29, and theupper end of this slot may be provided with an enlargement 29a.

Thecasing I is provided with opposite longitudinal slots 30 (Fig. 2)above the plug 8 and a sliding assembly 31 is mounted upon this portionof the casing. This assembly may comprise opposite portions 33 (Fig. 3)shaped to fit about portions of the cylindrical surface of the casing Iand opposite, diametrically disposed chambers 34 connecting theseportions. Thesechambers 34 may have integral extensions in the form offinger rings 35 which may be engaged by the fingers of the user of sucha device. Pins 36 extend between the walls of each of the chainbers 34,and leaf spring elements 40 are mounted upon each of these pins, theseelements each having one leg bearing against the outer wall of thecorresponding chamber 34, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and having a secondleg with an-inturned end portion 'enga'geable under a shoulder of theplunger l2 when the latter is in its projected position, as shown inFig. 1.

A device of this character may be employed to drive a tack, the head ofthe tack being inserted in the socket provided by the end of theauxiliary housing 20. The hand of the user of the device maythen beengaged with the casing l and with the finger pieces 35 so that thesliding assembly 3| may be moved away from the housing 20, the elements4!! remaining in engagement'with the shoulder I8 of the plunger so thatthe latter is moved to retracted position and the spring H iscompressed.

At the upper end of this stroke of the plunger,

7 the legs of the elements 40 have a cam-like engagement with the endsof the'slots 3|), this position of the parts being shown in Fig. 2. Atthis instant, the elements 46 are thus moved out of engagement with theplunger, which is released and driven downwardly against the tack underthe force of the spring II. If the tack engages an object such as thebony structure of the jaw, the tack is impelled outwardly, the auxiliaryhousing portion 291) being pressed inwardly or retracted while the lightspring 24 is compressed, so that the tack is almost entirely exposed asthe plunger reaches the outer end of its path with its end portion insubstantial co-planar relationship with the end of. the housing. Afterthe plunger has returned to its normal position, the sliding assembly 3!may be moved toward the housing 20, the inner ends of the springelements 40 engaging the plunger during this movement until the assemblyreaches the point at which the ends of these elements may'snap under theshoulder l8 of the plunger to the position illustrated in Fig. 1.

Obviously this construction permits the tack to be disposed in thecylindrical socket afforded compression of the latter may be varied,thus permitting adjustment to alter the force of the blow with which theplunger may drive the. tack.

A device of this character is particularly advantageous when employed inconjunction with fastening elements of the type illustrated in Fig. 4.Such an element may comprise a tack with a conventional disk-like headportion 50 and an adjoining annular flange 5| spaced from the head 50and cooperating with the same and the shank of the tack to afiford anannular groove. Below the flange 5| the shank may extend to a pointedend 54 and may be providedwith one or more barbs 55 in the form ofconical or frusto-conical sections terminating in substantially flatannular shoulders. Thus when a tack of this character is driven into anobject, the barbed portions, and particularly the shoulders 55, maycatch upon the material surrounding the opening made by the tack so thatthe latter is very firmly anchored in place.

The annular groove adjoining the head of'the tack is adapted to receivea strand of material which may be in the form of a ductile wire. Thus,as shown in Fig. 4, a wire 58 may. have a looped portion 59 received by.the annular groove at the head of the tack, a length of the strandextending from the looped portion for engagement with any suitableobject, such as a similar strand 'extendingirom a similar tack. 'It isevident that when a tack of this character is inserted in the socketportion of a tool such as illustrated herein, the strand portionextending from the head of thetack may be received in the slot'29 in thewall of the socket. Furthermore, the strand or wire 58 may convenientlybe looped about the stud -2I, thus serving to hold the tack in thesocket provided by the end of the auxiliary housing 28!. I I

Means of the character described may be employed to secure the jaws of acorpse in closed position. The tack driving tool is. particularlyadvantageous for this purpose, since its end portion has a smalldiameter and may be inserted beneath the lip of the corpse properly toposition the tack for insertion in the bony structure of the jaw. Thuswhen a tool of this type is to be used for this purpose, a tack of thecharacter illustrated in Fig. 4 may be disposed in the positionillustrated in Fig 2, the end of the tool being inserted under the lipof the corpse so that the end of the tack pricks the fiesh of the jaw.The slidable assembly 3| may then be slid toward the cap '3 so that thespring II is compressed and the plunger is moved to its retractedposition, this movement being continued until the elements 40 are movedout of engagement with the hammer portion of the plunger which isthereupon releasedand impelled by spring I! so that it strikes the tackwith a sharp blow. As this occurs the auxiliary housing 20 is pressedback due to its engagement with the flesh over the bony structure sothat the entire length of the tack below flange 5| may be driveninto-the to I the walls of the casing and: engageable with the head:ofsthe. plunger "wherebya'the slidable assembly may 'be moved relative.to the. casing to flesh and. bone of the jaw. The wire may thenbedisconnected from'the stud 2|;

Obviously this operation may be followed in driving a tack into the boneof the upper jaw in the'general position illustrated in Fig. 5, above orbetween the roots of the upper teeth 66. In a similar manner a tack maybe driven into the bony structure 68 of the lower jaw between or belowthe lower teeth 69. Each of these tacks is provided with a strand 58,the strand portions being brought into engagement and tied or twisted inposition to hold the jaws properly closed with the teeth in'engagement,as illustrated in Fig. 5, the lips of the corpse then being readilypositioned over the strands so that a natural appearance is impartedtothe mouth and lips. When the plunger I2 is first released the slidableassembly 31 remains in the position shown in Fig. 2. In this position ofthe parts the inner ends of the spring elements 40 engage thecylindrical surface of the head'l5 of the plunger and the slidableassembly can then be slid downwardly on the casing l with the ends ofthe spring elements 40 sliding along this cylindrical surface until theysnap into engagement with the shoulder beneath the head of the plunger,i. e., into the position illustrated in Fig. 1. It is evident that thedevice may be conveniently manipulated with the upper part of the casingI held in place by one hand of the user which is grasping the cap member3 at the upper part of the casing, while the other hand of the user canreadily cause the sliding movement of the assembly 3| by engagement ofthe fingers in the finger rings 35.

It is evident that the present invention affords a simple, effective andconvenient tool for driving tacks or fastening elements of the type oftacks. It is furthermore evident that the device is particularly usefulin applying fastening elements comprising tacks and attached strands orwires of the general type disclosed in my aboveidentified copendingapplication.

I claim:

1. A tool of the class described, comprising a casing, a plunger havinga head slidable in the casing, a coil spring adapted to actuate theplunger, a slidable assembly upon the casing including means to retractthe plunger and compress the spring, parts of said assembly cooperatingwith a part of the casing to release the plunger and spring, anauxiliary housing into which a portion of the plunger extends, saidhousing providing a recess to receive a tack which may be driven fromthe auxiliary housing when the plunger is released, said auxiliaryhousing being slidable relative to the casing, and a spring normallyholding the housing in projected position, whereby the housing and theplunger portion of. small diameter cooperate to afford a socket toreceive a tack when the plunger is in its unretracted position, thespring associated with the housing being capable of compression when thedevice is employed in driving a tack into an object so that the end ofthe released plunger may move substantially into juxtaposition to theend of said housing.

2. A tool of the class described comprising a casing, a plunger havinga. head slidable in the casing, a coil spring disposed in the casing andarranged when compressed to actuate the plunger, a slidable assemblyupon the casing including opposite chambers and spring elements mountedin the chambers, said elements having parts projecting from the chambersinto slots in effect the retractive movementof the plunger andcompression of the spring, the ends of the slots in the walls ofthecasing being arranged to engage said spring. elementswith a cam-likeeffect to move them out of. engagement with the plunger so that thelatter'may be released to permit theend of the plunger to strike a blowupon a tack orthe like.

3. A tool 'of the class described comprising a casing, a plunger havinga head slidable in the casing, aicoil spring disposed in the casing andarranged when compressed to. actuate the plunger, a slidable assemblyupon the casing including opposite-chambers and spring elements mountedin the chambers, said elements having parts projecting from the chambersinto slots in the walls of, the casing and engageable with the head ofthe pliuiger' whereby the slidable as sembly may be moved relative tothe casing to effect the retractive movement of the plunger andcompression of the spring, the ends of the slots in the walls of thecasing being arranged to engage said spring elements with cam-likeeffect to move them out of engagement with the plunger, an auxiliaryhousing receiving a small diametered portion of the plunger andcooperating therewith to provide a socket, the wall of said housingbeing provided with a slot so that the socket may receive a tack with astrand extending from its effect the retractive movement of the plungerand compression of the spring, the ends of. the slots in the walls ofthe casing being arranged to engage said spring elements with a cam-likeeffect to move them out of engagement with the plunger, an auxiliaryhousing receiving a small diametered portion of the plunger andcooperating therewith to provide a socket, the wall of said housingbeing provided with a slot so that the socket may receive a tack with astrand extending from its head portion through the slot in said housingwall, and a stud extending from the casing for temporary connection tothe end of a strand extending through said slot.

5. A tool ofthe class described comprising a casing, a plunger having ahead slidable in the casing, a coil spring adapted to actuate theplunger, a slidable assembly upon the casing including means to retractthe plunger and compress the spring, parts of said assembly cooperatingwith a part of the casing to release the plunger and spring, anauxiliary housing receiving a small diametered portion of the plungerand providing a recess to receive a tack which may be driven from theauxiliary housing when the plunger is released, said auxiliary housingbeing slidable upon a fixed extension of the casing, and a springnormally holding the housing in projected relation to said extension,whereby the housing and the plunger portion of. small diameter cooperateto afford a socket to receive a tack when the plunger is in its.unretracted position, the spring associated with the housing beingcapable of compression when the device is employed in driving a tackinto an object so that the end of the released plunger may movesubstantially into juxtaposition to the end of said housing, a studprojecting from the wall of the casing and engaging a bayonet slot inthe wall of the auxiliary housing, whereby the auxiliary housing may bereadily detached from the casing to afford access to said auxiliaryspring.

6. A tool of. the classdescribed comprising an elongate casing, aplunger having a head slidable in the casing, a coil spring in saidcasing for actuating the plunger, a slidable assembly upon the casingincluding opposite chambers with symmetrically disposed finger ringssecured thereto, spring elements mounted in the respective chambers,said elements having parts projecting from the chambers into slots inthe wall of the casing and engageable with the head of the plunger,whereby the slidable assembly may sion of the spring, the ends of theslots in the walls of the casing being arranged to engage said springelements with a cam-like effect to move them out of engagement with theplunger so that the latter may be released, an extension of said casingreceiving an extension of the plunger and providing a socket for a tackto be struck by said extension of the plunger when the latter isreleased.

7. A tool for applying a fastening device tothe bony structure of thejaws of a corpse, which device consists of, a tack-like element withawire strand extending from the head portion thereof, said toolcomprising a casing, a plunger slidable in said casing between aretracted and an advanced position, said plunger in its retractedposition cooperating with the end portion of the casing in providing asocket for receiving said element of the. fastening device, the wall of.said portion of the'casing being provided with a slot through which thewire strand may extend, and a stud-on the wall of the casing spaced fromsaid end portion about which the free end of the wire strand may betemporarily looped.

ARTHUR V. CULLEN.

